公元前三千纪黍西传与欧亚大陆人群的文化交流

The Westward Spread of Broomcorn Millet and Cultural Exchanges Among Eurasian Populations During the 3rd Millennium BC

公元前2400年前后,沿着亚洲内陆山脉廊道,通过早期人群的移动、迁徙和交流,黍被带到了中亚地区。公元前2000年前后,黍快速传入印度河流域,并经由海上传播至阿拉伯半岛西南端和非洲东北部地区。公元前三千纪中叶和后半叶,两河流域、尼罗河流域、印度河流域处于早期城市文明发展的高峰,黄河流域也已步入早期文明阶段,人口增长和城市化进程加速了早期文明的扩张,推动了东西方人群的双向交流与互动,促进了黍的西传。

Broomcorn millet(Panicum miliaceum),also known as“yellow millet”after peeled,is a dryland crop native to northern China.Around 8,000 BC,broomcorn millet was first domesticated in the Sanggan River-Yongding River Valley and the Daqing River-Juma River Valley.Around 6,000 BC,dryland farming characterized by the cultivation of broomcorn millet and foxtail millet became widespread in northern China.In 3,200 BC,broomcorn millet was spread to the valley areas in the northeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.In 2,800 BC,broomcorn millet was spread to the Hexi Corridor area.Meanwhile,broomcorn millet was spread southwest to the Sichuan Basin and further to the southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.Direct radiocarbon dating indicates that the broomcorn millet unearthed at the Karuo Culture site in Changdu,Xizang,dates back to 2,700-2,300 BC.Xinjiang is an important node for the westward spread of broomcorn millet,though there are relatively few historical remains found in Xinjiang before 2,000 BC,with important archaeological discoveries including the Tongtian Cave site and the Xiaohe Cemetery site.Around 2,400 BC,broomcorn millet was introduced to the northern regions of Central Asia with important archaeological discoveries including the Dali site,the Begash site,and the Aygyrzhal-3 burial.Around 2,000BC,broomcorn millet was spread to the Amu Darya Valley with important archaeological discoveries including the Tilla Bulak site,the Kangurttut site,the Gonur Tepe site,the Togolok-1site,and the Adji Kui site.In the meantime,broomcorn millet was further introduced to the Indus Valley,with important archaeological discoveries including the Shortughai site,the Khirsara site,the Rojdi site,the Babar Kot site,the Oriyo Timbo site,and the Pirak site.It is noteworthy that millet gradually replaced barley as the staple crop in the Gujarat region of India during the late Harappan Culture(1,900-1,300 BC).Around 2,000 BC,broomcorn millet was further spread to West Asia and North Africa,and was found at the following sites including the Ghal e-Ben site in northern Iran,the Tepe Yahya site in southeastern Iran,the Jubabat al-Juruf and Wadi Yanaiim site in southwestern Yemen,and the Ukma site in the Nubia region between southern Egypt and northern Sudan.In conclusion,broomcorn millet was first domesticated before 8,000 BC and was widely utilized in northern China during the Pre-Yangshao period(around 6,000 BC).In 3,200 BC,with the westward expansion of Yangshao Culture people,broomcorn millet was spread to the Hehuang Valley.In 3,000-2,500 BC,with the westward expansion of Majiayao culture,broomcorn millet was introduced into the central Hexi Corridor.Around 2,400 BC,broomcorn millet was brought to Central Asia through the movement,migration,and communication of early population along the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor.Around 2,000 BC,broomcorn millet was quickly spread to the Indus Valley through the exchanges between the agricultural populations of southern Central Asia and the Indus Valley.It was then brought to the southern region of the Iranian plateau overland by the Harappans,and to the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula and the northeastern region of Africa by sea.The 3rd Mellenium BC is an important stage in which broomcorn millet was spread to the heartland and southern regions of the Eurasian continent.This period witnessed the peak of early urban civilization in the Mesopotamia region of West Asia,in the Nile Valley of North Africa and the Indus Valley of South Asia.Early civilization has taken root in the Huanghe Valley of East Asia as well.With the acceleration of the population increase and urbanization,early civilization continued to expand outward,boosting economy in surrounding regions.The“Central Asian Interaction Sphere”fostered reciprocal exchanges and interactions between populations from the eastern and western parts of the Eurasian continent,facilitating the swift widespread of broomcorn millet in a short time.